I have lots of TinTin books and even as a child I couldnt fail to notice the stereotypical ways in which various cultures were portrayed.
Sometimes the comic showed that it was aware of such things, like in The Blue Lotus, when Thompson and Thompson try to blend in with the Chinese locals by wearing some crazy ornate clothes and as they walk down the street, all the people around are just laughing at them for this crazy stereotype they try to emulate.
Tin Tin always seemed to be on the good side of the moral line, for the most part, but it makes me uncomfortable that its yet another story where the same old narrative follows: "Oh thank god there is a nice white person here to save us, we couldnt possible have done this without their help!".
I feel conflicted about this because of course people should be willing and unafraid to help regardless of nationality etc, but on the other hand, people dont see the subtle damage it can to do an entire nations psychology to have this type narrative fed to children, because they take it on board, it sinks in deep to the subconscious when repeated without any opposing information to burst the bubble.
I know the feeling. When I was old enough to realise that Tarzan was in fact a British lord I had felt it for the first time. It is as you say, the main characters are on the good side of the moral line, they set great examples,but the stories themselves can indeed be a bit patronizing if you think about it
Wow, I never actually thought of Tarzan that way but... when you look at the story, its right there! Although I have been all too aware of it in, well, most stories it feels like. The same old trope of some lost child that turns out to be aristocracy/royalty/demi-god/chosen etc
I mean, we all have a story, but it would be nice to sway away from the narrative everyone seems to yearn for.
The idea of removing morally wrong historical artworks frightens me more than the artworks themselves.
Rightly so, I would think. Stopping art has always been a tactic of dictators, so you have all reasons to be suspicious.